The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

A new report explains why the double whopper of declining property tax revenue and state aid to local governments is causing the worst municipal fiscal crisis in a generation, and may not get better any time soon, explains Nate Berg.

June 4 - The Atlantic Cities

Matt Shaw updates the status of New York's efforts to catch up with the global rise in super-tall residential skyscrapers.

June 4 - The Architect's Newspaper

Excavating in East St. Louis in advance of an approaching freeway and future development, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a sophisticated American Indian settlement nearly a thousand years old that "no one knew existed."

June 4 - NPR

Stalled for years by the recession, Sam Allen looks at the prospects for the revival of ambitious plans to remake L.A.'s Grand Avenue.

June 4 - Los Angeles Times

Gov. Jerry Brown is asking the state legislature to alter the state's environmental law (CEQA) in order to begin construction of the high speed rail project in the Central Valley. It is aimed at heading off lawsuits intended to delay the project.

June 4 - San Jose Mercury News

Thomas Kaplan and Danny Hakim report on the collapse of New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's $4 billion plan to create the country’s largest convention center and a casino in Queens.

June 4 - The New York Times

According to James A. Bacon, "Smart growth is too important to leave to liberals." In a new essay, he argues that "Conservatives must articulate their own vision for creating prosperous, livable and fiscally sustainable communities."

June 4 - Bacon's Rebellion

Add this one to the "This is how they spend my tax dollars?!" file. Scott Huler exposes a ploy by legislators from 20 coastal North Carolina counties to outlaw effectively measuring and predicting the potential rise in sea level.

June 4 - Scientific American Plugged In Blog

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<p class="MsoNormal"> Congratulations to this year&#39;s high school, college and university graduates! The current crop includes our son, who was recruited by a major corporation. The location of his new job will affect his travel patterns and therefore the transportation costs he bears and imposes for the next few years: until now he could get around fine by walking, cycling and public transport, but his new worksite is outside the city center, difficult to access except by automobile. As a result he will spend a significant portion of his new income to purchase and operate a car, and contribute to traffic congestion, parking costs and pollution. This is an example of how land use decisions, such as where corporations locate their offices, affects regional transport patterns and costs.

June 3 - Todd Litman

According to Carl H. Nightingale, urban centers have been racially divided since Mesopotamia. However global organizations and demographic changes are making the possibility of increased integration a reality.

June 3 - Salon.com

No one wants to be stuck in traffic. But next time you find yourself pounding the steering wheel out of frustration just think about Eric Dumbaugh's findings regarding the connection between congestion and economic productivity.

June 3 - The Atlantic Cities

LA Councilmember Paul Krekorian discusses reducing the city's budget deficit, the impacts his decisions will have on core services and civil servants, and the tolls that come with taking on a budget crisis during a period of fiscal austerity.

June 3 - The Planning Report

As the Summer months heat up, Sarah Laskow reports on cities' efforts to keep retailers' doors closed.

June 3 - GOOD Magazine

Elizabeth Daigneau looks at the various ways in which cities and counties can earn eco-certification, including everything from "the roads they build to the vehicles that ride on them."

June 3 - Governing

It used to be that visibility was the most important factor in siting a business. This may no longer be the case, argues Kevin Klinkenberg, as smartphones make location irrelevant.

June 2 - New Urbanism Blog

Planned as intensely for the two weeks this summer when the world's attention will be focused on the XXX Olympiad as the decades following the end of the last race, Anthony Faiola examines whether London's Olympics provide a model for future hosts.

June 2 - The Washington Post

Joseph Strauss' dream of spanning the Golden Gate is remarkably similar to Gov. Jerry Brown's of spanning the Golden State with high speed rail, and providing fresh water under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Public opposition is the common link.

June 2 - KTVU.Com

Public libraries across America are threatened by reduced staffing, resources, and hours due to budget cuts. However, "little libraries" are popping up in communities across the country as urbanists seek to redefine public space and librarianship.

June 2 - Places

How far outside of New York City do you have to travel to find the suburban pleasures of miniature golf, batting cages, or an Applebee's? Surprise, they can all be found in the five boroughs. Jesse McKinley seeks to explain this phenomenon.

June 2 - The New York Times

If you need any additional indication that bike fever is sweeping North America, check out this video of Norman pedaling through some finely manicured suburban streets. Norman, by the way, is a dog.

June 1 - Treehugger